Nigeria Police arresting Leadership Newspaper Deputy Editor, Danladi Ndayebop on May 6, 2008

New York, May 9, 2008---The sight of stern looking policemen armed with what appears to be sub-machine gun while arresting reporter of Leadership Newspaper from his office in Nigeria offends the sensibility of many Nigerians in United States.

The newspaper’s Editor, Mr. Prince Charles Dickson had alerted Africans In America and others that their office was under siege having been stormed by men of Nigeria Police Force who arrested their Deputy Editor, Danladi Ndayebop on May 6, 2008.

We later learnt the police team was dispatched on the request/instruction of a Nigeria Senator who was not happy about a particular news article written by one of their editors over a controversial chieftaincy title recently given to the senator. When the police could not find the editor they were looking for, they decided to arrest the Editor of the newspaper establishment. The Editor was not on seat, so they arrested the most senior staff on duty.

Though many questioned whether police followed laid down process of rule of law to handle issues of that nature, what irks most Nigerians in United States is the level of force, appearance of intimidation and illegal arrest and hours of detention of innocent pressman in this exercise.

It appears as if Mike Okiro’s honey-moon with the Nigerian people and the press is over with the reports of commando-like tactics and brutality of his field-men throughout the country. It is unclear whether the junior ranks are rebelling against the rank and file, in view of President Yar’Ádua Administration’s avowed principle of abiding by the rule of law and inspector-general of police Mike Okiro’s pledge to follow the president’s directive to the letter. To demonstrate his readiness to follow President Yar’Ádua Administration’s principles, IG Okiro recently stated that he was ready to die for Yar’Adua.

Mike Mbama Okiro Nigeria Inspector General of Police

Africans In America News Watch (AIANW) investigation reveals that Nigerians are beginning to get wary of Police Inspector General Chief, Sir, Mr. Mike Okiro. Observers and critics of situations on the ground in Nigeria note that reform is standstill, openness is zero (close shut), corruption and brutality are on the rise since the police boss took office Friday, June 1, 2007.

Our investigation also reveals that a group of Nigerians in US so offended by brutality and the use of the police by the Nigerian bourgeoisie are researching possibility of ‘arresting’ the police boss anytime he steps his foot on their territory and handing him over to United Nations for human rights violations committed under his command and watch.

Our investigation further revealed the methodology of the impending ‘arrest’ and hand-over.

Some Nigerian activists in United States intend to seek-out the police boss at a well-attended public function, preferably in the broad daylight. They plan to peacefully approach him, take the public address system, announce their mission, put a symbolic hand-cuff made of weak paper or easily breakable plastic on his hand and attempt to escort him to the United Nations office.

Though the planners of the citizen arrest exercise doubt whether they will succeed in actually arresting and taking the police chief to the United Nation in view of the retinue of both Nigerian and United States security operatives that may surround him; however, they feel the showing exercise will shake him up to be serious about real reform, war against corruption, abuse of office, police brutality, and very importantly, upgrading the work environment and salary of the men and women of the Nigeria Police Force.

23 years old female victim of violent crime in Lagos with stab wound at the back of her head. Her assailant was a lawyer known to brag about his police-connections. Zone 2 Police Command investigated and mishandled (covered-up) the case.

In another development, the Executive Director of Africans In America, Inc. Mr. Bonaventure Ezekwenna had stated that his organization is waiting for the IG’s response on his organization’s 14 months study that catalogued findings of corruption and cover-ups in some formations of the police force.

“Mr. Okiro needs to listen to a voice tape of a Lagos-based lawyer bragging how he corrupted every senior police officer in Lagos and EFCC, and how he has them at his beck and call”, said Mr. Ezekwenna.

Africans In America News Watch (AIANW) investigation reveals that part of the study includes the case of a 23 years old female stabbed at the back of her head and abandoned in dark lonely street of Shomolu area by the Lagos-based lawyer known to brag about his numerous police and EFCC connections. At instruction of late Haz Iwendi, the victim reported the incident at Zone 2 Police Command, but the Lagos police did not arrest the lawyer because he is their informant and has many police connections.